Clinton Health to install oxygen in two local health facilities

By Khulile Thwala

The Clinton Health Access Initiative, (CHAI) is seeking interested and capable vendors to submit proposals for the supply of a manifold system for Mbabane Government Hospital and a medical oxygen piping distribution inclusive of a manifold system for Pigg’s Peak Government Hospital.

This is part of CHAI’s Covid-19 funding to prevent, prepare for, respond to and bolster health systems to address Covid-19 and reduce cases of re-emergence as well as provide high-quality oxygen systems to developing countries.

CHAI is a sub-grantee of FHI360, on the Meeting Targets and Maintaining Epidemic Control (EpiC) project, a global five-year project funded by the US Agency for International Development (USAID). FHI360 is the prime implementing partner for EpiC.

Meanwhile, following the shortage of oxygen that had been reported by the Ministry of Health during the peak of the Covid-19 era, the former Director of Health Services, Dr Vusi Magagula, said the government was already engaging entrepreneurs on a possible solution.

In their engagement, he said, one entrepreneur committed to assisting the government to set up an oxygen plant in the country. But for this to happen, Dr Magagula said, the service provider had requested three weeks to have the plant up and running.

“What we have gathered is that the shortage has been brought about by the limitation of cylinders as they are from South Africa. The demand for oxygen is unprecedented and we need to act fast on the demand,” Dr Magagula said.